Some CMS Parents & Teachers Have Concerns Ahead Of The First Day Of School

CHARLOTTE, NC. — 140,000 CMS students are starting school on Wednesday. Most of them in-person, says district Superintendent Earnest Winston.

“I can say with confidence that we are ready to welcome back our students and families on August 25th,” Superintendent Winston says.

About 2400 CMS students are enrolled in virtual school, which is offered for students in third grade and up.

“We are still excepting applications into that through a transfer process for our students across the district,” says Community Superintendent Dr. Matt Hayes.

Tamara Barnes is the parent of a senior at Independence High School. Barnes says she doesn’t feel comfortable sending her child back to in-person school, regardless of the fact that the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County are now mandating all schools to require masks.

“I feel like we’re here to protect our children, and we’re sending them into danger,” Barnes says.

Barnes tells WCCB she emailed the school board and was told there was a waitlist for virtual school.

“I was told to contact student resources, and they never answer their phone. So this waitlist that they’re saying there is, I don’t know how to get onto the waitlist.”

8th grade CMS teacher Steve Oreskovic says he’ll have more than 30 kids in every class, and although they will be masked in the classroom, it will be hard to distance. He’s also concerned about lunchtime.

“I think we’re ready to be back in school. It’s just can we do it in a way that’s going to keep us in school. That’s been the question,” Oreskovic says.